Round five kicks off with North Harbour trying their very best to make it four loses in a row against a fired up Stag outfit. Have a feeling the Stags might just let this one slip up in sin city, Harbour in a close one.

Northland take on the fumbling Otago way up North in banjo country, and the way Otago are playing this year you would have to say Northland at a canter. Taniwha to nudge another win ever givent their self destruct motiviations.

The Magpies are back home after a less than successful road trip and looking for a win. Without putting too much on this game itâ€™s a vital must win match that will determine Hawkeâ€™s Bays fortunes to infinite and beyond. The Bay to crush the Makos is retaliation for Wellington being on the same Island.

In what surprisingly could be the match of the round Counties will be aimed to make inb two in a row over Waikato and Iâ€™ve got a faint idea thatâ€™s going to happened with Mooloo being the worse weâ€™ve seen them in many a year.

Manawatu v Taranaki, good night the Naki Manawatu to coast this one.

Huge match to finishe off Saturday with the Lions defending the shield against Canterbury. This should be a ripper. In simple terms the Cantabs looking too strong at this stage. Close call, but giving it to the evil empire.

Final match of the round sees Bay of Plenty adding to Aucklandâ€™s woes in 2009.

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My inability to pick the ANZC this year continued early in round five with the Stags surging in the final 20 minutes to knock over Harbour 24 - 22 and secure a bonus point win. New Harbour player Ben Botica scored all their points. Another good solid result from the Southlanders.

With interest, crowds, and TV figures all on the up the call is now to make it a 12 team competition and not the 10 team previously devised. Don't think that's going to work myself as the second division will be pretty low on firepower really.

North Harbour have been so disappointing. You would expect to go pretty well when you take down Canterbury in the first round. That just hasn't been the case.

Northland vs Otago, Counties vs Waikato and Manawatu vs Taranaki should all be good games. Hawkes Bay will be desperately looking for a win this week because things haven't been going so well for them lately.

The RS game is going to be massive tomorrow. Hopefully a good crowd gets along, Canterbury, Carter and McCaw are normally big draw cards. According to the TAB we will lose the shield. I think we have a pretty good chance of keeping it. We have our All Blacks back as well and that should make a big difference. I'm interested in the whole Fili vs Carter battle. We can find out actually how good Fili is against a great number 10.

0 for 2 this round with Otago dominating against a lack lustre Taniwha outfit. The hosts were out muscled at the breakdown with the Otago team running riot in the first half to lead 22 - 7 at the break. Northland simply couldn't break down a S14 laddened Otago pack. Full five points to the visitors and a well needed tonic for the Southerners. Back to the drawing board for the Taniwha.

Hawke's Bay 28 - 26 Tasman

Finally got one right with the Bay notching a dying minutes win over the Makos, 1 for 3 yay me. Israel Dagg and Zac Guildford combined in the dying minutes to snatch this one from a brave Makos outfit, who it must be said scored twice against the run of play. Excellent game for the Bay faithful and great result puts the Bay's campaign back on track after a mare of a fortnight.

All eyes now center on Wellington where the Lions are defending the RS against the Evil Empire, otherwise known as Canterbury. Tall order for the locals with a couple of useful players likely to take the pitch this evening for the Cantabs. Go Lions !!!!!!

Yeah I was back and forward from the 2 games last night but I was mostly watching the Tasman vs Hawkesbay game. It came alot closer than most people would of thought and whoever that guy was that put $100,000 for the bay to win must of been relieved.

I didn't get to see Witt play but that other league convert Shortland or whatever his name is looked to be the goods scoring a massive try without much space.

Was gonna go watch the Lions waste the Cantabs but I think I'll rather watch it nice and warm with a hot cup of chocolate in my hands at home. Everyones favouring the Cantabs to take the shield off us but they can kiss my a#@!. GO THE LIONS!!!!

Finally another win for Taranaki. It wasn't a great game by any means, but I'll still take it over a loss. It was Aaron Cruden's faulty goal kicking that handed us the win in the end. It's a shame, because he does look to have a lot of promise.

EDIT: Also, I have to say after watching some of the Waikato-Counties match today, I think Counties look really good on the break and in open space. They have some really great runners, it's just a shame they couldn't convert the chances they made today, because they did make a few.

Well all I have to say is Wellyz got owned big time . Canterbury are a class outfit and I was disgraced at the Lions for the shite performance they put on. Our scrum, lineout and rucks were all getting hammered. Now I know how Auckland felt last season when we went up there and took the shield off them 29-0.

Canterbury deserved the shield even before halftime there just wasn't no way the Lions were gonna get back in it after a crap 1st half like that. Congratulations to the Cantabs they're now defending Anz Cup and Ranfurly Shield holders.

I also think they should give Bateman the black jersey already I've been telling my old man that for a while and only after last night he agreed. Conrad Smith and Luke out so he should be givin a mention at least.

Dire, to lose the shield. I thought we played terribly. We were just no match for a team with Thorn, Carter and McCaw those guys were all class. Our front row was inexplicably dominated last night, so was the breakdown. Soalialo and Jane will not be in the All Blacks team in two weeks, they were just terrible. Gear has to be in there, though. He tears this competition up.

Simply game really with the Steelers not having many answers to the cow bell brigade on Saturday.

Manawatu 10 - 12 Taranaki

Proving once again predicting the ANZC in 2009 is a mad woman's breakfast. This was a great win to the Naki and should get some heads lifted as they downed the best improved side in the competition this year.

Wellington 14 -36 Wellington

Simply ouch!!!! The Cantabs were way too classy on the day with the Lions suffering a rampaging southern outfit intent on stealing the shield.

Auckland 29 - 14 Bay of Plenty

And no undefeated teams left in the ANZC this year.

Current ANZC mutterings, and we'll see you in court end of year, is retain the 14 teams. As BOP have demonstrated cut loose some of the hangers on and rationalise the cheque book, no problems into profit. The NZRU are bleating about keeping the S14 franchises up, regardless of financial or on field results, that will be enough for a class action from the four ANZC sides being sent down to have a class action started. Sorry if they send Manawatu down, what's the justification in the light of Otago's finances?